Marauders Erised
by emikaa
Summary: (Two-shots) Twenty years before Harry and Ron, the Marauders, themselves, stumbled upon the Mirror of Erised- twice in fact. What did Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter see, and how did it change nearly ten years into their own future?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The First Encounter

 **Here's a little snip-it of a much larger idea that I currently do not have (and may not ever have) time to write. I liked this little head-cannon, though, and still wanted to share… enjoy!**

Gryffindors aren't exactly known for their aptitude for following rules. The first-year boys of 1971 were no exception to this. James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, in fact, were well known for their midnight strolls. Sometimes it was to pull pranks, sometimes it was to sneak food from the kitchens, but in this instance, it was for the purpose of exploration.

For a group of prankers as inept as themselves, it was very important to know the lay of the land. Through these ventures, they had already discovered two secret passage ways, a couple abandoned class rooms, and some very efficient short-cuts. Today's objective was to find a way to sneak into the library, as they suspected that the restricted section would have plenty of enlightening pieces of information that could be useful in their shenanigans.

In their search, they came across a new room, one they had not seen before, with only a single mirror in the center of it. James was the first to approach it, glancing to his side confused as he did so.

"Hey! When did you-" He was about to inquire about the sudden presence of Lily Evans, but then noticed she was not standing next to him as she was in the mirror.

"Are you alright, James?" asked Remus, mildly concerned for his friend's sanity.

"Yeah… sorry, I just thought I saw… Lily?" He stuttered, now looking back to towards the mirror, where Lily's hand was now holding his, and she was smiling at him sweetly. Sirius, at this point, took it upon himself to step in.

"I'm afraid your just lovesick mate… being that she hardly hangs around you when she has to, I doubt she would go out of her way to follow you!" As he said this, he approached his friend and threw an arm around him, but stopped in his tracks when he caught a glance of the mirror himself.

Looking back at him was the usual reflection of himself, but along with it stood his mother, father, and Regulus. The odd thing, though, was that they were smiling- not a smirk, but an actual affectionate smile. His mother had her arm around his chest, gently pulling him towards her, while his dad placed a hand on both his and Regulus's heads, ruffling their hair. Regulus, himself, was grasping Sirius's arm, looking up to him with admiration. They looked, all at once, like everything a family should be, and everything his family was not.

Remus, confused as to what had both of his friends in such a trans-like state, went to see what the big deal with this mirror was. It took him a moment to realize anything was off about it, but then noticed that despite James and Sirius being right next to him, the only reflection he saw was his own. The second indicator was that he was smiling- not that that was as uncommon for him these days, but it certainly didn't match up with the confused expression he knew he was sporting at the moment.

With a closer look, he realized that his smile was a lot more peaceful and at ease than he had felt in years. Even now- having friends, not being so alone, thriving in his studies- he was still plagued with constant anxieties. Whether it be his best moments, or his worst, he had the constant weight of paranoia of them finding out his secret, them not accepting him, him hurting them. He also noticed, in the mirror, that he no longer had the scars across his face. That's when it became clear- this is himself, but in the case that he had never been turned.

The last to approach was Peter. Ever the follower, he was anxious to know what had enticed his friends so much, and as he neared it, he too realized his appeal. He saw what was undeniably himself, but better. A bit taller, a bit thinner, his hair a bit neater, and his skin a bit smoother. His facial structure adjusted, making him as attractive as Sirius, sporting Quidditch robes and a snitch in his hand with the confidence of James, and a prefect badge near his neck, as he was sure Remus would one day have. He was finally the equal of his friends.

But he knew it wasn't real, and the longer he looked, the more sad and bitter he felt about his reality, and knowing that reality is what he would inevitably have to return to, he decided not to focus on fantasy any longer. The only problem was his friends, still enthralled in whatever it was they might be seeing. He tried snapping them out of it- calling their names, tapping their shoulders, clapping in their faces. The closest thing he got to a reaction was a 'shush' from James, and a one-handed swat from Sirius.

Giving up on that approach, he decided he would have to move the mirror out of their sight. The problem with this, however, was that in all his short stature, his attempt to move the large ornate mirror was ineffective. He did, though, manage to almost knock it over, causing him to panic, and quickly steady it.

His disruption of the mirror's position must have been enough to effectively shake the other three 11-year-olds out of whatever world they were previously in, as all three turned to him with varying looks on their faces.

"I think we should go." Remus stated, being sure not glance back into the reflective surface.

Receiving hums of agreement from Sirius and James, the four boys left the room, not discussing what they each had just seen.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Second Encounter

 **Thank you, guys, for the reviews! They are, honestly, what keeps motivated to write! Just to clear some stuff up, though, this story (Marauders Erised) will only be 2 chapters long, and yes- I am definatley completing it (if I wasn't, you wouldn't be reading this).**

 **What I meant by "here's a little snip-it of a much larger idea" is that I have an idea for a much, much, larger project that would be incredibly time consuming, hence I do not know if I will ever have time to write it. Marauders Erised was a concept I originally thought of as part of that other story, but I liked the idea a lot, and thought it would be a solid enough story on its own, so I decided to just go ahead and write it that way instead of potentially never writing it all. I just wanted to clear that up since some people seemed worried that** **this** **story would not be completed. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

 _(Nine years Later)_

James roamed the halls of Hogwarts- an activity he had not engaged in since his own years at the school- haunted by what he had heard only hours before.

Albus Dumbledore had summoned himself and Lily, along with Frank and Alice Longbottom, back to the school to share with them a prophecy of Voldemort's potential demise. What should have been wonderful news, though, became anything but when the two couples realized the other person mentioned in the prophecy would be one of their two sons.

James refused to accept that his unborn son would have to carry such burden, but would never wish such a fate on the Longbottom's child either. What child should ever have to cope with such a thing? Destined to risk their own life to end a battle that began long before their time. To have their life stolen away by some twisted, pre-determined, fate.

Albus had provided both couples with lodging for the night, offering them the safety of Hogwarts until other protections could be worked out. James, and a very pregnant Lily, were offered one of the empty Gryffindor dorms, where Lily was currently asleep whilst James wondered, trying to collect his thoughts. Always having been the more restless of the two, after being sure Lily fell asleep, he retreated into the empty halls in an attempt to find an outlet for his anxious energy.

After deciding that aimless pacing wasn't doing anything for him, he found himself in one of the many abandoned classrooms within Hogwarts. It was anger that lead him into this room, the hope that there may be some neglected desks he could take out his anger on, but that was cast aside when he saw the large ornate mirror that stood in the center of it.

The mirror had a vague familiarity of which he could trace back to first year. He remembered stumbling upon it, and seeing himself and Lily, but 11 years old as they were at the time. He remembered not being able to look away, his friends being drawn in in a similar matter. It was an experience so strange, they had never really reflected on it, or talked about it again. He had, honestly, written the whole him off as a dream. But now, nine years later, he stood in the same spot, and once more he chanced a glance into the mirror in front of him.

What he saw was so similar to before. Himself and Lily, but now their 20-year-old selves. In Lily's arms was a small bundle, and although he could not see a face, the black hair sticking up over top of the blanket was enough for it to know that the small form was his unborn son. They were happy, they were at ease, _they were safe._ James was struck at how realistic this seemed, and he became angry all over again.

Why did safety, a happy life with his wife and child, seem like too much, too unrealistic, to ask for. Something so basic, taken for granted by so many, hell, taken for granted by himself until a few hours ago- stripped away from him so suddenly. He collapsed to the ground, eyes still locked on the image in the mirror, put his hands in his hair, and he wept. He wept for his wife, he wept for his son, he wept for the Longbottoms, and he wept for himself.

Another glance in the mirror, and a sudden, desperate feeling of hope overtook him. _Maybe the mirror showed the future… it showed he and Lily together when he was younger, and that happened, maybe this meant it would all be okay._ He heard the door open behind him.

It isn't often that you get called to your ex- Headmaster's office at ungodly hours of the night, in the middle of the summer, but when it does happen, you bloody show up. This is why Sirius was currently sitting on the floor of the office of Albus Dumbledore at 4 a.m. his back against the wall, and Marauder's map in his hand.

A little less than an hour ago, he received a hysterical floo-call from Lily, something about being at Hogwarts, and James missing, and begging him to please come to Hogwarts and bring the map that they had made in their 5th year. He obliged to the first request, knowing that Lily wouldn't summon him at such a strange hour for nothing, but informed her that it was Remus, who currently had the map.

After getting changed into more appropriate clothing (i.e. _actual_ clothing) He tossed a handful of floo powder into his fireplace, and jumped through, arriving at the desired located to see a crying Lily, and a concerned- and regretful?- Albus Dumbledore. He offered the redhead a hug, and the old man a confused look, receiving an ominous head shake in return.

A few minutes after him Remus arrived with the map, and took over comforting Lily… he was always better at that. After Remus, Peter stumbled through the fire as well, probably just for the heck of it. Sirius opened up the map, which Remus had passed off to him, and pulled out his wand, mumbling the incantation. Once names appeared, he instantly spotted James', moving up and down through the hallways.

"He's okay, Lil." Sirius assured, placing a hand on her shoulder, and showing her the map. She let a sigh of relief. "He's probably just letting out some steam… I'm sure he wasn't planning on leaving you alone too long." He stated, knowing his friend, and knowing how he dealt with stress (and based on Lily's reaction to whatever was going on, he assumed 'stress' was an understatement.

"Thank you, all, for coming, though." She muttered, wiping away her tears. "He'll be glad to see you when he gets back."

'When he got back' was getting to be more and more questionable, as 10 minutes turned into 20, into 40- almost an hour after his arrival, Sirius glanced at the map, to see James in the same spot he had been in for the half an hour.

"Maybe someone should go check on him…" said Sirius, finally.

"Why, where is he?" Remus asked, letting go of Lily, and glancing over Sirius's shoulder.

"In some old classroom, I think. But he's been there for a while, with something called 'the Mirror of Erised?'" At this, Dumbledore, who Sirius had honestly forgotten was still in the room, looked up.

"That mirror is dangerous." He stated, simply.

"Why?" Asked Lily, returning to her previous panicked state.

"If your first reaction is that 'it's dangerous' should it maybe not be unprotected in a school?" Accused Remus, apparently uncaring to the fact (very unlike Remus) that he was speaking to his former Headmaster.

"He kind has a good point," Peter mumbled.

Dumbledore ignored the slight outburst, directly his gaze at Lily. "It shows you your greatest desire… wizards have been known to become obsessed with it, waste away in front of it."

"That sounds like that mirror we found our first year." Stated Remus, bringing a long-forgotten memory to the forefront of Sirius's mind."

"Oh! It can't be too bad then. Besides, he already has what he saw the first time!" Peter exclaimed, peaking Lily's curiosity.

"Why? What did he see the last time?" Sirius just gave her a knowing smirk.

"People's desires change, and I'm afraid that whatever James is seeing now, is bound to be much more enticing than what he saw at age eleven." Dumbledore was now directing his gaze more towards Sirius than Lily, making it clear what he expected him to do.

"I'll go check on him," Sirius sighed as he pushed himself up off the ground. He memorized James's location, and returned the map to Remus instructing him to come looking for them if he wasn't back in 15 minutes. After all, he didn't necessarily trust himself to not get sucked into whatever it was the mirror was going to show him.

Making his way into the old classroom, Sirius found James, head in his hands, sitting on the floor, the mirror in front of him. He tensed up at the sound of the opening door, but apparently did not feel threatened enough to check who it was entering, as he made no move to turn around. Sirius sighed at the desperate sight of his friend, wondering what could have possibly pushed him into this state.

Unable to resist the temptation, he glanced into the mirror for himself. Like the last time his reflection was surrounded by people, but his family had been replaced by James and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Potter offering him the same warm smile they had many times before. A melancholy smile appeared on his face, as he remembered their passing two years prior.

James- at this point- must have noticed his presence, as he finally spoke up.

"What did you see- I mean in first year?" He asked, still not looking back.

"My family." Sirius answered sitting next to his friend. "But, you know, normal… and happy."

"And has it changed? What you see?"

"I guess it depends- I still see my family, except this time it's you. And your parents." James seemed to deflate at the mention of this.

"It showed me Lily first year- though your daft if you didn't deduce that for yourself. I thought, thought maybe it showed the future- I did end up marrying her, after all. I guess it was hoped more than thought. I still see her. Our child too. And we're safe, and at peace, and smiling- but if you saw my parents… it can't be the future."

"It shows you your greatest desire. Dumbledore reckons it to be quite dangerous- false hope, obsession and all that."

"Dumbledore knows I'm here?"

"Your wife has been in his office in hysterics… floo-called us all."

"I take it _us_ includes Remus and Peter?" Sirius nodded, considering it a small win that James was no longer focused on the mirror.

"And probably on their way to this very room by now. So that gives you about five minutes to explain why you and Lily are at Hogwarts in the middle of the night, and why the possibility of you having a happy future with my future godson suddenly seem so out of the question?"

"There was a prophecy."

"About the war?"

"About Voldemort, and how he can be defeated."

"And why is that a bad thing?"

"It predicted that a child- born in July- would be the one to defeat him, and the only one that can. Dumbledore believes it to be either our child or Frank and Alice's. Just the thought that my kid may have to spend his whole life- destined to be a soldier in a war he shouldn't even have to live through, and kill or be killed. No one should have that burden, let alone an infant, Sirius." Sirius embraced his friend, feeling James' tears on his shoulder, and some of his own running down his own face.

At this point, Remus and Peter walked through the doors into the abandoned room. Noticing the intimate moment between their two friends, they stood awkwardly back waiting to be noticed. Remus looked into the mirror behind his two friends, curious to see if anything had changed. He still saw himself, though his current self, not his 11-year-old self. This time he had the scars, he still had been turned, but he was standing in the light of the full moon, completely in control. He let out a small, choked laugh before being brought back to reality by Peter's hand on his shoulder. Clearing his throat, he turned his gaze back to his two, dark haired friends.

"Uh James… you have a certain redhead anxiously awaiting your return to the headmaster's office."

"Yeah… I should, um, probably go back to her." He muttered a bit awkwardly, in a fashion so un-James like. On his way out the door, he turned back around towards his friends.

"Thank you, guys, by the way, for coming. It really does mean a lot."

"Is he okay?" Peter asked Sirius, so desperately wanted to be in the loop.

"I hope so," the taller man responded, looking almost as bad as James himself. "We should probably head back up too… figure out what the plan is for the rest of the night."

Remus nodded and began to follow, but they were missing their third. It was Peter, this time, caught up in the mirror. Again, he had attributes from each of his friends, the things he was most jealous of- intelligence, personality, looks, confidence. This time, though, they stood around him- not as his equals, but his inferiors. It was them admiring him, them _envious_ of him, finally knowing, for the first time, how he felt all these years. They were in _his_ shadow. A voice brought him out of his trance- Remus's voice, in fact.

"Peter… Peter!" After about the 5th time, his friend finally turned around.

"Let's go." Sirius muttered, and Peter followed- a strange glimmer in his eye.

James stood outside his old headmaster's office, taking a deep breath. He put on the best smile he could manage. He wouldn't let the prophecy ruin their lives. He wasn't going to raise his son like that, they would be as normal as they could manage- well maybe not normal. There was no hope of normal with the pseudo-uncles the baby would have. Happy, though, happy they could manage. His boy would be happy, and his boy would be loved, and _his boy would live._

Not just survive, but truly live.

He took the step into the office, gaze settling immediately on Lily.

"The baby has my hair." He stated as a fact, with his best attempt at his signature smirk. He received, in return, a small smile from Lily.

"You know that mirror doesn't show the future, right?" She countered. He grabbed her hands.

"It has in the past. There's always hope."

FIN


End file.
